Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-09


Wards article in defence OF the Old
South, it would be well to let the read
ers of your paper see what was sald'
about fifteen years ago, concerning the
controlling influence OF southern
chivalry and aristocracy sin shaping
the character OF the republic in its fret
and best years." by Ellhu Burrltt,
known as "the learned blacksmith,
northern man by birth and education,
and lifelong Abolitionist. He was
United States Consul at Birmingham,
England, and in 1873, during Grants
second presidential term, he wrote the
following letter to the New York
Christian Union
want of the Displaced Element in
our RingpuDiic.
BIZ ELIHU BURRITr.
The stealtby transformation OF orr
republic into ringpublic may be as
cribed in no small degree to the dis
placement of an element in the body
polite which was never appreciated az
its true value Ia the better days OF orr
national virtue. 1t was then decried
and almost hated by the New England
and nearly the whole northern mind.
The same mind now seems to think
that the suppression of that element
has been a triumph for the cause OF
freedom, truth, and purity. Indeed,
IFS entire extinction is regarded as
contamination deyoutly to be wished.
This sentiment has become so preva-
lent that it may subject one to the
charge of disloyalty to regret that an
influence which wrought so powerfully
in shaping the character Of the republic
in its first and best years has been dis
placed by another more popular. "Down
with the aIistocracy ! " isthe watchword
OF the social democracy both in Eng
land ard America, and the same cry is
passing through other countries. This
cry does not mean down with the men
who have made themselves richer than
the here ditary aristocracy by sweating
out vast fortunes from the toll and in
dustry Of a single generation, but down
with historical or old families OF. the
countries who have retained in their
possession estates purchased centuries
ago at shilling or two an acre, and to
which each century has added an in
creased value; down with men who
have come to large fortunes by this
slow process Of accretion and have not
jumped into great wealth bysspecula-
ton in stocks, or by trading or manu-
featuring enterprise, like the great ma
jority of rich people.
Now, the worst sin OF landed or
hereditary aristocracy, in popular esti-
nation, is their esprit de corps, or that
pride Of order which leads them to feel
1t derogatory to their dignity to engage
personally in trade or in those business
enterprises which other men Of wealth
pursue. Then this feeling becomes adj
ditionally obnoxious by stimulating
what they Gala "high sense OF honor,
a hind of horror or contempt for small
and mean Octs and ways OF life and
thought, for traficking spirit and
habit of mind, and for the everlasting
talk about the irreprossible dollar, 1t
is these pretensions. this carriage and
pose Of mind and life, more than their
absolute wealth, that render an aris-
toclacy Of this order so repugnant to
the popular mind, especially in America.
For there is IO country in the world
whore men compass sea, land,
and fire with more ayidity for the aris-
tocracy of abstract wealth than among
us. Our railroad kings and merchant
yIinccs, stock jobbers, and other pOten
tatcs in our moneyed world constitute
an nIistocracy as rich in dollars as the
nobility and gentry OF England. AND
these enjoy a public estimation aDd
exeit an influence which fire thousands
with the ambition to attain the same
position by the same or more question
able means. Thus an aristocracy o.
sheer wealth, however acquired, shor
OF absolute crime, is the most popular
order in American society. And thI
more this aristocracy retains and eX
lnbits the spirit OF what the French cal
JCurgcoisic, the more popular and IN
huential il becomes, because it remains
in affinity, and on the same level o
thought and purpose with the grea
multitude of money-seekers.
Now. to a thoughtful, obseryant minC
nothing can be more evident and more
disquieting than the fact that this kline
of aristocratic JOurgcOisic has come f
the front as a ruling power in thi
country. 1t is n moneyed arstocrac.
that thinks, plans, and acts in the full
est spirit Of JOUrgcoi3ic, without an,
pretension to that high sense of homo
or pnnctilious esprit de corps whicl
governs the department Of an heredl
tary or landed gentry. And it is
lard thing to say or believe, but 81
honest mind must believe it true tina
this bourgcOiSie regime only came int,
power at the suppression of that south
ernaristocracy which we so enorgeticall,
denounced when it existed in the ful
strength Of its influence. Scarcely any
thing was orcould be more distasteful
or even hateful to us than the carriage
sentiment, and self-arrogated position
of that proud and pretentious aristocra
CIV which adopted the spirit and deport
ment of the English nobility and gentry
But one who looks back over the histor,
of the country from its birth as nation
must low see and own that the inAuenc
# this southern aristocracy was al
element of immense value In shapini
The character OF our public men an
uo!ilical life. The existence of man,
hines is only realized by their tempo
rary absence. For ten years the South
IS a political power, has been with
drawn from the Union. 1t has bee
ruled, depressed. and stided in its oil
character and influence by the wors
kind Of carpet-bagging bourgeoisie
During this demoralizing regime
has been shorn of all the locks o
its power on the national Govern
ment and public men of th
country. 1t has not sent to Washingto
a single representative of its old hi:
torical famihes-no Calhoun, nor Clay
nor Benton. None of its old name
have answered to the roll-call in eithe
house at the Capitol. None of its oil
chivalry-its high sense of honor-ha
been represented by the newly-import
ed men who have pretended to answe
FOR the South. The spirit which sh
boosted, and which we denounced ha
ceased to act on the political moralit
| 81 4ka nation Darbapa the Who'll